Private Schools With Waivers, PUSD In-Person Programs to Close

The Pasadena Unified School District announced on Wednesday that all in-person programs would be closed until the end of the month.

Under recommendations from the city and county health departments, all in-person programs at 10 local private schools that were allowed to reopen with waivers will once again close their doors, a city spokesperson told Pasadena Now.

The schools were advised when they were allowed to reopen that they could be forced to close again. Those schools were open to students in kindergarten through third grade.

“Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Pasadena and Los Angeles County Public Health Departments have recommended that schools suspend in-person learning programs until the end of January,” PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald said Wednesday in a prepared statement.
“By deferring in-person programming for just a few weeks, we can have a significant impact on reducing the rate of transmission of COVID-19 in our community so that we can return to in-person learning as soon as possible,” McDonald wrote.

Starting Jan. 15, the PUSD will suspend small group in-person learning programs through the end of the month. According to the district statement, those include Learns K-8 programs, Blair Viking Scholars and the Phoenix Flyers program at Rose City High School.

The Special Education Assessment Center will remain open. Grab & Go Food Centers will also continue to operate.

“We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to resuming in-person programming as soon as possible. We will notify you of the reopening date for these programs once more information is available,” McDonald said.